Inkstand.



G. H. NUMAN.

INKSTAND. APPLIOATIONNLBD JA11.13,1913.

1,1 16,31 9. Patented Nov. 3, 1914 CHARLES H. NUMAN, OF NEW.` YORK, N. Y.

INKSTAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

Application led January 13, 1913. Serial No. 741,692.

To at? whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES H. NUMAN, a. citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful ."Improvements in Inkstands, of which the following is a speciication. i

The invention relates to improvements in inkstands, and it consists in the novel structure and features hereinafter described, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

The object ofthe invention is to an inkstand capable of very convenient use and which shall be inexpensive of manufac-` ture, composed of few readily constructed and assembled parts and possess a self closing feature or gate, which will automatically yield to the point of a pen when the latter is dipped into the ink well so as to` permit the pen to enter the well and auto matically, when the pen iswithdrawn from the well, close the entrance to the ink chamber, thereby excluding air and dust.

The inkstand of my invention comprises a glass base containing an ink Well and having at one side of the well an inwardly and downwardly slanting entrance passage for a pen and pen holder, a one piece cap` cover loosely fitting over the ink well and a pivotally mounted gate adapted when in its closed position to close the said passage to the ink well and to yield inwardly under the force of the pen when the latter is applied to the well for the purpose of taking ink. The gate is suspended by trunnions from its upper end and will automatically close the passage to the ink well when left unrestrained.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top view, with the cover partly broken away, of an inkstand constructed in accordance with and embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same, taken on the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal section through the same on the dotted line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 10 designates the glass base of the inkstand, 11 the cover and 12 an automatically operating gate for closing the passage to the interior chamber or well 13 of the base l0. The base 10 may be of suitprovide` able outline and will be in one integral piece of glass having an ink well 13 and at one side thereof a downwardly and inwardly in clined passage 1-l` leadinginto the well 13 and adapted to receive the lower portionof a pen holder when a pen is dipped into the ink l5 within the well. The passage 14 is grooved at its upper portion, as at` 16, to form an inclined rest and guide for the pen holder and below the groove 1G the passage 1l is formed with a. transverse shoulder or seat 1T for the lower outer edge of the gate l2, as shown in Fig. At opposite edges of the upper inner endv of the passage 14 the base 10 is formed with two corresponding vertical transverse recesses or sockets 18 to receive trunnions 19 extending' from the op posite upper side edges of the gate 12.`

The gate 12 will preferably be formed of. hard rubber or other pressed up composition and provided with the aforesaid trunnions 19 adapted to be dropped into `the sockets 1S and swivel therein. The gate 12 extends transversely `across the passage 14 in the base 10 and is pivotally suspended in said passageby means of the trunnions 19. The lower edge ofthe gate 12 is preferably rounded or of arc shape and likewise the front and rear faces of said gate are round ed or of arc shape and the gate in cross-sec` tion is of the outline shown in Fig. 3. The thickness ofthe gate 12 permits the gate to have sufficient weight to freely swing to its closed position across the passage 11 and upon theseat 17, and the thickness of the lower portion of the gate also permits a pen when introduced through the passage 14 to move the gate to an open position and to be withdrawn from the well without being bound by the gate.

`The cover 11 is a circular cap fitting over a vertical flange 20 formed on the base 1() and encircling the well 13, except at the passage 14. The cover 11 may be readily applied and removed from the base 10 and when in position covers the ink well 13 and also the upper edge portion of the gate 12. The cover 11 will preferably be of hard rubber or other pressed up material.

The method of using the inkstand will be readily understood without detailed ex-` planation;

The parts of the stand may be assembled by simply dropping the trunnions 19 of the gate l2 into the sockets 18 and then placing the cover 1l upon the `base 10. The ink 13 will be poured into the wll 13 when the cover' 11 is off from the base and will preferably fill up to just below the lower 'edge ofthe gate 12, the inl; then being within the ink well and lower end of the passage 14. The gate 12 normally closes the passage 1414 below its upper end and in this way normally closes the entrance to the ink well 13, said gate thus excluding dust and air, to such extent as may be desirable, from the well 13. lWhen it is desired to use the ink-Y stand a pen carried by the usual holder is dipped through the passage 14 into the ink, the pen on its downward movement meeting the gate and causing the same ,to swing inwardly so as to open the passage 141-. llpon the withdrawal of the pen from the in.. Yhe gate 12 will automatically close to its normal position, shown in Fig. 3. The gate 12 swings freely on the trunnions 19 and while not at all likely to be swung free of the base 10 under any reasonable circumstances, is nevertheless `retarded from having any such action by reason of the fact that the lower edge of the cover 11 eX tends over theupper ends of the sockets 18 and thereby aids in retaining the trunnions 19 in said sockets.

rlhe inkstand of my invention is thus composed of only three readily ymanufactured and assembled parts, which may be easily cleaned as frequently as may be required, and is an inkstand capable of convenient use and not requiring any thought on the part ofthe user-,as to the closing of the ink well, the inkstand of my invention having for its essential featui'e an automatically acting gate for closingy the ink well each time a pen is dipped into and removed therefrom.

llVhat l claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

l. An inlstand comprising a base having therein an inlwell and at one side thereof a downwardly and inwardly inclined passage leading into said well, for the entrance of a pen to the well, and said base also having Copies of this patent may be obtained for five from said base l integrally therewith a vertical flange encircling said well except at said passage, a freely removable cover fitting over said well and said flange, and a removable gate pivotally suspended at its upper end in and below said cover and across said passage and normally closing said entrance to the well, as shown and` described.

il. in inkstand comprising a base having therein an inhwell and at one side thereof a downward and inwardly inclined passage leading into said well, for the entrance of a` pen to thewell, and said base also having integrally therewith al vertical flange encircling said well except at said passage, a freely remoi'able cover fitting over said well and said flange, and a removable gate pivotally suspended at its upper end in and from said base below said cover and, across said passage and normally closing said entrance to the well, said passage having between its lower andupper ends aseat for the lower of said gate, as'shown and described.

3. An inkstand comprising a base having therein an inliwell and at one side thereof a downwardly and inwardly inclined passage leading into said well, for the entrance of a pen to the well, and said base also havingintegrally therewith a vertical flangev encircling said well except at said passage, a freely removable colver fitting over said well and said lliange, and a removable gate pivotally suspended at its upper` end in and from said base below said cover and across said passage and normally closing said entrance to the well, said passage having in its` upper portion a groove to guide a penholder and between its lower and upper ends a seat for the lower edge of said gate, as shown and described. f

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 9th day of January, A. D. 191,3. Y

. CHARLES ll. NUMAN. ll'litnesses urn UR MARION, GHAs.k C.y GILL.

cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ofy Patents,

Washington. D. C. 

